SI Joint Fusion: Does This Work?

The Rise of Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Fusion Surgery I have been following with interest the rise of SI Joint fusion surgery. This has exploded over the last five years. So what does SI Joint fusion look like? Can SI Joint dysfunction be cured? How successful is SI Joint fusion? Are there better and less invasive…read more

Piriformis Injection: What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You

It’s hard for both physicians and patients alike to understand the intense complexity of the connected body. It’s easier to come up with a description for one part that hurts and call it good. I call this “parting it out,” and this is definitely the case with a piriformis injection. Even though there are likely…read more

The Top 3 Causes for Butt Pain

The idiom “pain in the butt” is a common one, typically used when someone or something is particularly annoying; however, butt pain is very real, and when it happens to you, it’s not only annoying but can also be severely painful and disabling. There are three common causes we frequently see in the clinic in…read more

Pain in the Front of the Hip: What’s Causing It?

When people have pain in the front of the hip, they often assume it’s just the same arthritis Grandma or Grandpa had, but pain in the front of the hip can actually be caused by a number of different issues. In order to fix it, we have to first find out what might be damaged…read more

Leg Feels Disconnected? It May Be Your SI Joint

I always love hearing how patients describe what’s going on in their body. This last week, a patient with SI joint instability described her problem as her “leg feels disconnected.” This is such an accurate description that I thought it was worth exploring in a blog. The SI (Sacroiliac) Joint The SI joint is where the…read more

SI Joint Injection Side Effects: PRP vs. Steroid Shots for SI Joint Syndrome

Steroid shots are the mainstay of current injection-based spine care. Why? Certainly not because steroid shots are the best therapy we have for reducing pain and helping an injured part of the spine heal. Also, while many online sources would have you believe that SI Joint injection side effects are minimal, that’s not been our experience. Hence,…read more

My Letter About How SI Joint Fusion Likely Won’t Help Patients in the Long Run

I’ve blogged a few times about why I think the new “minimally invasive” SI joint fusion is not a good treatment option. After that I was asked by a professional organization in Oregon to write a letter explaining my views to their Health Evidence Review Commission, which is considering coverage for the device. This is that…read more

SI Joint Fusion Results and Review

This week I’ve been exchanging emails with a surgeon who does SI joint fusions. It’s been interesting as I’ve been seeing more and more advertising by a company pushing expensive, minimally invasive sacroiliac fusion devices. The surgeon didn’t like a post I did while back on the SI joint fusion technology, so I decided to…read more